VW Trikes in California

[Beachbum45]

A question that just formed in my skull! Since it has been many moons, when I last had my trike. I was wondering about this great state we live in and the many laws that we have to live with. Are we,as trike owners,required to smog our trikes?
Mitch

 

[WilmacMike]

Mitch,

At this time the answer is no. However it is coming, this is Cakifornia ya know!

The CA smog laws for both cars and motorcycles have actually been on the books since about the mid seventies. They are now really starting to gear up to enforce them.

You see now that every major manufacturer or all of them for that matter now have catylitic convertors on the motorcycles. These are not 49 state bikes, these are CA bikes.

The plan as I was told by an inspector with CARB, Ca. Air Resources Board said that they are looking to start smogging bikes sometime in 2013, This will apply to ALL motorcycles and factory trikes as well as trike conversions supposedly starting with them that are manufactured from 2013 on. However I would not trust CARB on that decision. They may change the date on us as to when they implement the smog checks on bikes/trikes and as to what years they will apply to.

Again most all of this was put into place in 1974-1977. The bike manufactures knew it was coming all along and where given 30 years or so to get the bikes geared up for smog testing.

My personal thought on all of this is that they CARB the all mighty smog gods will go back some on the years just as they do with cars. I say this because since about 2005 2007 some of the bikes which were becoming computer controlled fuel injection were using O2 sensors on the exhaust pipes (Honda VTX 1800 for example).

Be aware of the supprises coming down the pike! The law that our last Gov. signed just before he left office is to enforce the Federal law in regards to decibel levels on bikes.
It takes effect in 2013. Again its all coming at us. Its all about the money in this state.

How is it fair that if you and I live in the wrong county of CA. we HAVE to smog our cars and trucks and soon our bikes, but if you live in a part of a different county such as where the town of Sonora is located you would not have to smog any of your vehicles.
I guess CARB does not believe that any of those residents do not come down into any other area where supposedly the smog is a problem.

Anyway have a good day, and ride safe.
Mike

 

[Beachbum45]

Thanks Mike,
That was exactly the answer I was looking for when I posed the question. Do you happen to know all of the counties that are exempt ? Possibly get me a P.O. Box in one of them for my "formal" address.
Mitch